The main ship's telegraph from the Lusitania

Cool Finds

Telegraph Recovered from the Wreck of the ‘Lusitania’

After a botched salvage effort last year, the artifact used to communicate with the engine room has now been brought to the surface

The LEM model missing from the Armstrong Museum

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Thieves Steal Solid Gold Lunar Lander Model From Armstrong Museum

The five-inch model was created by Cartier as tribute from French newspaper readers to the Apollo 11 astronaut

The York Gospels

New Research

Medieval Manuscripts Are a DNA Smorgasbord

Researchers are finding animal DNA in the parchment pages as well as genetic fingerprints from humans (like kissing priests)

Even the name "Daniel Defoe" was a pseudonym of sorts—born Daniel Foe, Defoe added the first syllable to his last name to sound more aristocratic.

The Author of ‘Robinson Crusoe’ Used Almost 200 Pseudonyms

Daniel Defoe honed his pen on political writing before he came to the novel

Candles were an important source of after-dark light in the early United States, so it makes sense that one of the first patents would be related to improving them.

The Innovative Spirit fy17

What the First Three Patents Say About Early America

Gunpowder, fertilizer, soap, candles and flour were all important to Americans

This diorama shows a sailor receiving his "daily tot." It was even mixed according to custom: on a "scuttled butt" with an officer overseeing the mixing.

Reasons Why the Royal Navy Bribed Sailors With Booze

The rum ration existed until 1970

Die Hermannsschlacht, Gemälde von Friedrich Gunkel, 1862–1864

New Research

New Excavation Will Examine Germany’s Legendary “Founding Battle”

The dig hopes to find conclusive evidence that Kalkriese is the site of the Battle of Teutoburg Forest

Dalton Trumbo was one of the "Hollywood 10" who were arrested for refusing to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. He was later blacklisted from working in the industry.

The Columnist Who Shaped Hollywood’s Most Destructive Witch Hunt

Billy Wilkerson’s complicated legacy has only been recently discussed by the magazine he founded

A member of the 9th Cavalry circa 1890.

Three Things to Know About the Buffalo Soldiers

These segregated regiments offered black soldiers a chance to fight for their rights

The WP-3D Orion "Hurricane Hunters" are a key part of NOAA's hurricane toolkit.

Why Does NOAA Still Send Pilots Into Hurricanes?

The first “Hurricane Hunter” flight was a bet, but today they’re an essential part of risk management

The United States's version of the Imperial system is based on an older British version.

America Has Been Struggling With the Metric System For More Than 200 Years

The United States is the one of the world’s only holdouts at this point, but it could have been the first country outside of France to adopt the system

These eyeglasses, which belonged to a prisoner at Auschwitz, are one of the more than 1,000 artifacts included in the traveling exhibition.

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Auschwitz Museum Announces First Traveling Exhibition of Artifacts

More than 1,150 objects make up the exhibition, which will travel to 14 cities in Europe and North America

An oracle bone description

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Museum Offers $15,000 Per Character to Decipher Oracle Bone Script

The inscriptions offer detailed information about the Shang Dynasty, but researchers need help to read them

The Rosetta Stone in the British Museum.

Interact With the First 3-D Scan of the Rosetta Stone

The British Museum’s model lets users get a close-up view of the precious relic

First Pet Socks poses in the White House Press Room in 1993.

The First Pet Position in the Trump White House Will Remain Open—for Meow

Animals have served as companions and ambassadors for presidents dating back to George Washington

The dead letter office circa 1922. The contents of unresolvable dead letters and packages are periodically sold off by the USPS.

A Brief History of American Dead Letter Offices

The United States postal system was established on this day in 1775, and mail started going “dead” very soon after

Angelenos wearing smog masks at a banquet, circa 1954.

This 1943 “Hellish Cloud” Was the Most Vivid Warning of LA’s Smog Problems to Come

Southern California–and LA in particular–continue to struggle with smog

Jung's interest in the subconscious was a driving force in his work.

Five Fascinating Facts About Carl Jung

He thought he was two people (sort of) and more things you didn’t know about the pioneering psychologist

Henry Ford and Mohandas Gandhi exchanged tokens of mutual admiration during World War II.

The Unlikely Bromance Between Henry Ford and Mohandas Gandhi

Both men had complicated ideologies but bonded over pacifism

The fairground ride parallels a medieval training game for mounted fighters.

The Dizzy History of Carousels Begins With Knights

Practice makes perfect–but nobody said it couldn’t be fun

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